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Installation

How do I use cage nuts?

This video is about cage nuts and describes how to install and remove them, and how to identify if your product includes cage nuts.

You may have heard of cage nuts and wondered what they are and how they are used. Today we are going to discuss cage nuts and show you some of their advantages and uses.

Cage nuts are used to mount IT equipment in server racks, such as the StarTech.com 4POSTRACK25U. Server racks compatible with cage nuts can be easily identified by the square holes the cage nuts use. Cage nuts are great for protecting your equipment from stripped threads and allow for convenient mounting of your server rack equipment.

A cage nut houses a standard nut in a cage with a spring. The cage has two wings that can be pinched together to allow the cage nut to be inserted into a square hole. The wings are then released to hold the cage nut in place. Cage nuts come in many sizes but M5 and M6 cage nuts are mainly used in IT environments. M6 is a heavier, more robust cage nut that M5.

Let’s take a look at mounting a Cage Nut on a rail in the StarTech.com 4POSTRACK25U.

In some situations, you may be advised to use a slot screwdriver to help install cage nuts. However, you will find it much easier to use a cage nut mounting tool.

To install a cage nut, use your tool to attach one of the wings from the cage nut. Keep the pressure on the cage nut with your finger and then attach the other wing. The cage nut is now ready for the mounting screw.

To uninstall a cage nut, use your tool to release the cage nut wing on one side and then the other side.

You can check to see if your StarTech.com product includes cage nuts by navigating to the StarTech.com website, searching for the product, and checking the Technical Specifications tab under the heading What’s in the Box.

StarTech.com also sells cage nuts and screws in both M5 and M6 sizes which can be seen by navigating to Server Rack Accessories and the section Mounting Screws and Cage Nuts.